BOXING

Northern Advocate, 4 February 1928, Page 12

BOXING

I GOSSIP FROM EVERYWHERE /Johnnie Leekie has been invited to i visit Sydney, but the New Zealand , feather-weight says that so long as he ; can get matches in the Dominion he will stay here. u * ■■ * * ; Mosaic Doyle, light-weight champion , of Ireland, has gone to America for > the purpose of endeavouring to meet Sammy Maude!!, for the world’s championship. In announcing his arrival ■ in New York, a message said: With a , brogue so pronounced that the Amori- . can reporters wore unable to understand him, Doyle was introduced by , his manager as a real Irish fighter. * * • • dim Corbett, who lost the world’s championship to Bob Fitzsimmons, became a splendid raconteur on his retirement from the ring. One of his best stories was connected with his fight with Fitzsimmons. “You know,” said Corbett, “there is a tense moment in every athletic contest when after a period of wild excitement and noise there is a sudden silence. It is wonderful how the principal In a contest may, at the most critical instant, be roused bv a sudden sound. In my fight with Bob Fitzsimmons, when he floored me with that solar plexus punch, there was a terrible din. It seemed like pandemonium lot loose. I could hardly hear the timekeeper calling the seconds and I knew I could not get up. Suddenly the sound ceased and there was an awesome silence. In the midst of it I heard the voice of u hoy from the back benches call, ‘Mr Corbett, you’re wanted on the telephone.’ The voice re-echoed in my fuddled brain and I made a desperate attempt to got up; but it was no use. Bob had done his work too well, but I really believe that but for that voice I could not have made such an effort to rise. * * * • The result of the Heoney-Sharkey fight leaves the championship position exactly as it was before they met. The big Panjandrum of the promoting world, Tex Rickard, dees not consider cither of them worthy of being matched against Tunney. He has arranged for another scries of elimination contests, and proposes to bring Tunney and Dempsey together for the third time. Promoting a world’s heavyweight championship is a very serious matter indeed, now that the promoter has to be prepared to put up a million dollar purse. Tex Rickard knows, and no one knows better, that to match cither,Sharkey or Heeney against Tunney, after their showing at New York, j would bo ridiculed; in fact it is doubtful if any Boxing Commission would grant him a permit for such a fight. Heoney and Sharkey were tried out as the best men in sight for a crack against the champion, and they failed to show the quality that is required of one who aims to be a principal in a million-dollar fight. Neither man has that necessary glamour that compels the public to flock in, thousands and pay a heavy admission fee to see him in action. At present Dempsey alone

has that attractiveness amongst heavyweights though it is said that Delaney has it to a minor extent, and may develop it under carctul manoeuvring. However, both Heeney and Sharkey are still in the hunt, and there is no telling what may eventuate in the next few months. At present New Zealanders can only regret that Tom Heeney was not at his host on January 13 last, and can take whatever satisfaction there may he in his “moral victory. He still has the opportunity to make good, and that he may do so is the fervent wish of all good New Zealanders. The cable informs us that Tex Rickard plans to promote a third contest between Tunney and Dempsey in June or July, but-the locality is not mentioned. It cannot be held in New York unless the Boxing Commission will agree to suspend its rule with re spect to a maximum price for admission, and neither Chicago nor Philadelphia is likely to rush for another fight. Pickard having established the million dollar purse for the heavyweight championship cannot come down in his figure yet a while, but, if leading sports writers are correct in their estimation of the signs, events of the kind are likely to he missing from the cards before long, amongst the reasons being povertv of drawing power amongst the challengers, and a surfeited public. Rickard, however, is engaged in working up public interest. He has arranged another elimination contest, with Tom Hconoy, Sharkey, Eisko, Uzeudun, and Delaney as the principals, and the winner will meet the winner of the Dempsey-Tnnney bout in September. Heeney has already met Eisko, Sharkey, and Uzcmlun, and judging by the reports of the fight between Delaney and Uzcudun,- which the former won on a foul, though the Press reports made it appear that no one beyond the referee saw any foul, the Now Zealander should get the decision against Delaney. The latter seems to be a spectacular figure, clever and hardhitting, but a bit light for the big heavies now in the run for the championship, and moreover rather in and out in form. He has been well written up by leading writers, including Grantland Bicc, writers who arc highly paid to give their readers the “straight dope” about fights and fighters, and it may bo that ho will emerge from the elimination contest as the one to fight in September.